Vacuum cleaner



April 19, 1938. Q M Dow 2,114,630'

VACUUM CLEANER Filed Aug 25 1936 Vf #o INVENTOR @any 3'!- ATTORNEY Patented Apr. 19, 1938 u NlTEo STATES PATENT OFFICE vacuum cLeANaa Application August 25, 1938, Serial No. 97,277

4Claims.

This invention relates to vacuum cleaners of the type illustrated in my pending applications, Serial Number 66,882, led March 3, 1936, Serial Number 74,012, filed April 13, 1936, Serial Number 5 84,072, filed June 8, 1938, and Serial Number 92,712, filed July 27, 1936. 'I'he present application constitutes a continuation in part of those applications and the disclosures of those applications are hereby incorporated in and made a l part of the present application.

An object of the present invention is to provide a novel carpet spacing and guard member for a vacuum cleaner floor tool. A further object is to provide a guard member for a floor tool of the 15 type contemplated in the aforesaid pending applications. Another object is to provide such a guard in combination with a novel floor tool bottom plate.

Another object is to provide a guard member,

n formed in a single piece, yet providing two spaced guard cross bar elements in the mouth of the floor tool. Another object is to provide a guard member embodying two spaced cross bar elements,

which guard is held in place by spring tension u within itself. Another object is to provide a spring-held guard which will not become accidentally displaced or detached under pressure of the carpet. Another object is to provide a guard which is of a very simple, durable, and exceedingly n inexpensive construction. Another object is to provide, in combination with a cleaner of the type under consideration, a novel wheel adjusting mechanism.

Further objects will appear in the perusal of II the following detailed description of the invention in connection with the accompanying drawing in which:

Fig. 1 is an inverted plan view of a vacuum cleaner embodying the invention,

Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional view through the agitator chamber, the agitator, and guard, taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1,

Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken on the line 3-3 a of Fig. 2,

Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken on the line 4-4 of Fig. 1, showing the wheel adjusting mechanism of the cleaner, and

Fig. 5 is a side elevation of the wheel adjusting n mechanism.

Briey describing the general features of the type of cleaner under consideration, it is pointed out that the floor tool has an agitator chamber I3 merging into a rearwardly extending throat I I u (Fig. 2) which in turn forks into a pair of spaced conduits I2 which lead to the opposed dual inlets 'of the fan (not shown herein).

The casting which forms the chamber I0 and the top and sides ofthe throat II, is open at its bottom from the forward wall of the chamber Il 5 to the forward edges I3 of the conduits I2. 'I'he space from the edges I3 to the rear extremity of the suction mouth I4 is closed by a bottom plate Il of stamped sheet metal. The bottom plate follows the contour of the side walls I6 of the throat 10 II and its rear region is cut away to llt the forward region of the side walls of the conduits I2. f

Wheel sockets I'I are formed integrally with the throat I I and front wheels I8 are mounted therein on studs I3 which are secured in the end walls of l5 the sockets I1 by threaded nuts 20. l

The plate I5 is detachably secured in place by screws 2l threaded into bosses 22 formed integrally with the side walls I3 of the throat II.

The forward edge region of the plate' I 5 is bound 20 with a channel 23 of stainless steel which forms the rear carpet engaging lip of the mouth I4. An L-shaped strip 24 is secured as by means of screws 25 to the forward vwall of the chamber I0 and forms the support for the rubber bumper 26 ex- 25 tending around the floor tool. The forward lip member 21 of stainless steel is welded to the lower face of the strip 24 and forms the forward lip of the suction mouth I4.

The guard G (Fig. 3) is formed of spring wire 30 and comprises a central web portion -28 formed at its ends with a pair of U-bends 29, and cross bars 30 form continuations of said U-bends 29, andproject substantially at right angles to the web portion 23. The ends of the cross bars 30 are formed 35 into hooks 3| opening outwardly away from each other.

Headed buttons 32 are riveted at 33 in the strip 24 and covered from beneath by dimples 34 in the lips 21. The dimples 34 also prevent the buttons 40 32 from working out of position. Buttons ,32a extend through the three thicknesses of metal comprising the bottom plate I5 and lips 23, and are riveted therein. The U-bends 29 of the guard G receive the buttons 32 and the hooks 3| of the 45 cross arms 30 receive the buttons 32a. 'I'he members 23 and 3l are retained by the heads of the buttons 32 against slipping axially from the buttons 32 and 32a. The arms 3,0 normally tend to assume a position such as that illustrated on the left hand side of Fig. 3 so that when hooked to the buttons 32, they engage the buttons under spring tension and will not become disengaged. The hooks 3I'hold the U members 29 against bein released from the buttons 32.

rn sppiymgum guard. me u-benas ze are am slippedy between the heads of the buttons $2 and the front wall of the chamber i0, and are thence drawn rearwardly until they are received between the heads of the buttons I2 and the strip 24, in contact with the reduced neck portion of the buttons. The hooks )I are then sprung to ward each other.. passed over the heads of the buttons 82a, thence moved into contact with the lips 23 and thence allowed to spring into position embracing the reduced necks of the buttons 32a. In this position they will be supported between the heads of the buttons 32a against forward movement such as might be occasioned by the forward pressure of the carpet against the cross arms lll.

The rear wheels 40 are mounted on stub shafts 4i riveted in the side flanges 42 of the rear bracket 43. 'I'he forward region of the bracket 43 is provided with a U-bend 44 which receives the mounting shaft 4B. 'I'he latter has a key slot 4I receiving a key 41 punched in the U-bend 44. A screw bolt 48 extends through the respective sides of the U-bend 44 and engages the shaft 45 to securely hold the bracket in place on the shaft 4I.

The shaft 45 is mounted in pillow blocks 49 formed in the conduits I2 and a bearing cap B0 is secured by screws Il to said pillow blocks 49. One end of the shaft is extended and carries an adjusting arm l2 in the end of which is mounted a spring-pressed plunger Si engageable in openings l4 (Fig. 5) in the keeper 56. The keeper 56 is secured by screws l1 to the rear flanges 58 of the conduit I2. 'I'he screws 51 also serve to secure the ilanges 58 to the elbows 58 which connect the conduits I2 to the fan (not shown).

'I'he member 60 shown in Fig. 1 is a member for the attachment of auxiliary suction tools or extension hose and is normally closed by a cap 8| carried by a spring-pressed plunger 62 mounted in the end of a lever arm 63. The arm 63 is mounted on a shaft 04 journalled in bosses 65 in the wheel sockets il.

A gate valve I6 is secured to the shaft 64 and is adapted when moved to a vertical position to close oft the throat l I, so as to direct the suction to the member 80. Removal of the cap 6i thus automatically effects closing of the valve 66.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a vacuum cleaner having a suction mouth whose pair of lips lie substantially in a horizontal plane in combination, a pair of spaced headed buttons secured to each lip, and a guard comprising a web portion, a pair of cross arms extending at right angles thereto, a pair of U- bends in the web portion, receiving one pair of saidbuttons,andapairofhooksinthetreeends of the cross arms, opening outwardly and receiving the other of said pair of buttons.

2. In avacuum cleaner door tool whose suctionmouthisdefinedbyapairoflipslyingsubstantially in a horisontal plane with a pair of spaced headed buttons secured to each lip in combination, a guard comprising a web portion, a pair of cross arms extending at right angles thereto, a pair ot U-bends in the web portion, said U-bends opening in directions parallel to said cross arms, receiving one pair of said buttons, and a pair of hooks in the free ends of the cross arms, opening outwardly and receiving the other of said pair of buttons.

3. In a vacuum cleaner floor tool whose suction mouth is deilned by a pair of lips lying substantially in a horizontal plane with a pair of spaced headed buttons secured to each lip in combination, a guard comprising a web portion, a pair of cross arms extending at right angles thereto, a pair of U-bends in the web portion, receiving one pair of said buttons, and a pair of hooks in the free ends of the cross arms, opening outwardly and receiving the other of said pair of buttons, said cross arms being formed to spring apart and holding said hooks underI tension in engagement with said buttons.

4. In a vacuum cleaner floor tool whose suction mouth is defined ,by a pair of lips lying substantially in a horizontal plane with a pair of spaced headed buttons secured to each lip in combination, a guard comprising a web portion, a pair of cross arms extending at right angles thereto, a pair of U-bends in the web portion, receiving one pair of said buttons, and a pair of hooks in the free ends of the cross arms, opening outwardly and receiving the other of said pair of buttons, said web portion lying above one of said lips.

DEWEY M. DOW. 

